Thursday, February 11, 2010

I recently did a survey with 30 people ranging from the art & design community, posing 2 questions at them.

The front page asked to draw themselves as either an artist or a designer, and the flip side questioned why they had chosen to depict themselves in such a way.

Front

Back

The survey began;

And the results were as follows,

The artist had to say that he/she embraces vulnerability and shuns security; that he/she creates whatever is in the mind, an 'illogical extension' of the person, with an utmost sense of freedom.

The designer says he/she is an universal problem solver. In his/her work, she applies and questions the principles of art and it's history to produce a valid and rational product for the better of the community.

They say they belong to both the worlds. They are 'role-players'. They morph into what is in need of.

They say they are both, then say they are neither, then are content with the juxtaposition in their answers. Is it better to understand one's self in this manner; would you answer that for me please?

Sunday, February 7, 2010

'tis a new song I found, along with a friend. Funnily enjoyable, I'd say.
This has also given me some insights for my next post.

Lyrics:

YOU AIN'T ARTSIER THAN ME
CAUSE YOU GOT SIDE BURNS AND VINTAGE TEE
YOU AIN'T ARTSIER THAN ME
CAUSE YOU PLUCK A GUITAR THAT AIN'T AIN'T FUCKIN' BIZARRE
YOU AIN'T ARTSIER THAN ME
CAUSE YOU LIVE IN LOS FELIZ, BITCH YOU AIN'T JESUS
YOU AIN'T ARTSIER THAN ME
I GOT A COLORFUL VOCAB WATCH THE LOW JAB

SO WHAT YOU'RE A VEGAN
IT SHOWS IN YOUR PRESENCE; YOU BE GEEKIN'
AND YOU BEEN SEEKIN' THE SAME LIGHT
SPEAKIN' OF GAME LIKE THE ENEMY, HANG TIGHT
I GOT A TALE ABOUT SIX FOOT ONE BY INFINITY
FULL OF SUN, RAIN AND POTENTIAL ENERGY
ALL THEY SAW WERE THE K-SWISS
CLEAN, CRISP, CREASED JEANS MEANS THIS
SO YOU THOUGHT AND DIPPED
MY WALK'S HIP, THOUGHTS; HIPPER
UNZIP THE ZIPPER
NO I DON'T WEAR HEMP OR DRINK LIQUOR
THAT DON'T MAKE ME THE MAN JUST A LITTLE BIT SICKER
SPIT KICKER WITH AN EYE FOR THE BIG DIPPER
FROM AN ISLAND CLIFF EMERGES A LOUD WHISPER
AND I'M PROUD OF THIS, IT'S MY ART
YOUR DOIN' YOGA JUST TO LOOK THE PART

YOU AIN'T ARTSIER THAN ME
CAUSE YOU CHOP UP BREAKS AND YOU DIG IN THE CRATES
YOU AIN'T ARTSIER THAN ME
YOU'RE JUST A TRENDY LESBIAN DREADLOCKED THESPIAN
YOU AIN'T ARTSIER THAN ME
CAUSE YOU MAKE WEED BROWNIES AND KNIT WOOL HATS
YOU AIN'T ARTSIER THAN ME
YOU PSEUDO ELITIST OLD SCHOOL SAP

DON'T LET AN 808 SCARE YA
SHAKE STRIPES OF YOUR SHIRT AND CLEAR THE WHOLE AREA
I'M A HUMANOID TOO
AND IF YOU'RE COOL WITH ME THEN I'LL LOOK PAST THE VOID IN YOU
INSTEAD OF THROUGH
I'M DOWN WITH VW'S AND FLOSSED OUT CADDY'S ON 22'S TOO
I BANG FOR GOOD, FOOLS KILL FOR NOTHIN'
I BUILD FOR SOMETHIN
FAMILY AND PEACE
HAND ME THE PIECE
I'LL HIT IT I'M SOCIAL
HEAR MY OPINION
I'M PROUD, I'M VOCAL
LOCAL IN A FOREIGN PLACE
MORE DIGITAL THAN DUSTY
BUT TRUST ME, I BE TOURIN' SPACE
YOU BE WHORING AT A COMFORTABLE PACE
YOU BE SKIPPIN' A CHORE TO JUMP IN THE RACE
I BE BUMPIN' MY BASS LIKE YOU COLLECT COMICS
I'M NOT WIERD, I'M HONEST

YOU AIN'T ARTSIER THAN ME
CAUSE YOU ONLY READ BOOKS, DON'T WATCH T.V.
YOU AIN'T ARTSIER THAN ME
CAUSE YOU SHOP AT WHOLE FOODS IN OPEN TOED SHOES
YOU AIN'T ARTSIER THAN ME
CAUSE YOU SPEAK REAL SOFT AND DRINK CHAI TEA
YOU AIN'T ARTSIER THAN ME
I RECYCLE TOO, I'M KIND OF LIKE YOU

I JUST LOOK CLEANER, GROWN DEMEANOR
WEAR DEODERANT, REGISTERED VOTER
AND A TREE HUGGER TOO, NOT IN THESE CLOTHES
ME LOVA A YOU
BUT IT'S GOTTA BE BOTH WAYS
MOST DAYS I'M EARTHY, STAY GROUNDED
OFTEN IT'S A PAPER CHASE, I'M WELL ROUNDED
STRAIGHTER FACE, TOWNISH, IT'S ALL BOUNDLESS
I MAKE IT SOUND UNIVERSALLY DOPE
OVERCOME ADVERSITY, RESHAPE THE WORST OF ME
DO IT FOR THE LOVE AND RELEASE IT COMMERCIALLY
LIKE A BLOCKBUSTER STARTED AT SUNDANCE
CAN'T STOP MAN, YOU ONLY GET ONE CHANCE
PRESENTATION IS KEY, HESITATION AIN'T SEE
INNOVATION IS MY A-R-T
DEDICATION IS FREE, OCCUPATION IS ME
INNOVATION IS MY A-R-T

YOU AIN'T ARTSIER THAN ME
CAUSE YOU DRIVE A HYBRID AND CARPOOL WITH THREE
YOU AIN'T ARTSIER THAN ME
CAUSE YOU'RE A SIXTEENTH MEXICAN, YOU AIN'T ETHNIC
AND YOU AIN'T ARTSIER THAN ME
YOU'RE JUST A BROKE ASS POET WITH THE SAME OLD CADENCE
YOU AIN'T ARTSIER THAN ME
WE WERE CONSCIOUS FIRST, WELCOME TO EARTH

'If the artist said, " I have designed something in the standard of Picasso", and this something based on his style with an additional twist, then I would feel more comfortable accepting for what it is, a design.'
- Craig Elimeliah, producer, Firstborn Multimedia.

The new era has thus, arrived. Where Design has held it's ground , Art has gone 'contemporary', and even merged. I feel the word contemporary is just a name in itself where it doesn't mean anything really. Where we stand at this present moment and whatever occurs around us is contemporary. Likewise, it was contemporary in the 1960's when Pop Art became a revelation. Hence, the word 'modern' has a more significant feel to the artworks created today.
The Art of 'now' uses the Art of 'then' to produce new pieces of art, or should I say, a new design. Should it have any resemblance to conceptual artist, Douglas Hueblers' quote, " The world is teeming with luxury goods, most of them unnecessary. Why add more? "
True, there are still some 'artists' who 'go-with-ze-flow', but the majority rely on inspiration or influence or pure copy, and make their masterpieces. The work has been incorporated from an already existing picture - so where does originality come into play here? This sort of pathway is similar to that of Design.

Art has now become Design who still comes from Art.Though I still hold by what I have stated about Art and Design in my previous post...

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

What I figured is that I am working on a project that has artistic leanings, but will probably be carried out in a design method. The reason why I say this is because by the end of it, I would have to place all my research and other works together in a cohesive manner for submission, in the form of a product.
Do I need to accomplish what is commissioned for me to do, and perform in a way the 'user' or my audience expects, or should I work out my doubts in a way suitable for my knowledge.

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

The dilemma is back. Now, what is this basic divide between art and design? There does exist a crossover;I’ve always thought of design as a subset of art, like that of the relationship between a father and a son. Art being the father, produced and brought up a genre to the earth that went along the course of his fathers’ teachings - drowning himself in it but gradually drifting off into his own person. He came to be known as Design. This is however an extremely rudimentary approach to my understanding on the topic.

Another way I would distinguish the two would in the form of their characteristics; Art is more individualistic in its procedure. It is about ‘I’. It is about the artist and his ideas and his style and the way he applies it onto his canvas or another surface. Art has a tendency of creating works only to stimulate a ‘reaction’ from its audience; the artists’ point of view and the style and use of colours and flow is indirectly or possibly even directly linked to the reaction of the audience. According to a few Minimalist artists , “…art seeks to build that certain connection between the artist and the observers of his art.”Design on the other hand, has a universal outlook and approach. It deals with the ‘We’ – which adheres to selflessness and awareness of the human body and its needs. There is a particular purpose and function that needs to be undertaken in order to complete an assignment.

In other words, Art seeks interpretation, while Design is meant to be understood.

Why such a blog?

This is an independent project that I am currently working on, and it centre's around a personal problem or query I have always have had; that of my identity as a designer or an artist, or whether i am both, or possibly neither.The topic has always remained a question in my head, and I felt it imperative to be able to 'define' myself.

The project will entail me in conversing with the topic from different perspectives and also approaching and exploring it in different forms. This, in turn will 'hopefully' enable me to bring forth a clear and focused output.